


It Can't be the Captain

by HDMI_Cable_Core



Category: Among Us (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Blood and Violence, Crewmate Tubbo, Death, Dissociation, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Imposter Captainsparklez, Murder, No really I stayed up till like 3 am, The Skeld (Among Us)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:54:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26495197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HDMI_Cable_Core/pseuds/HDMI_Cable_Core
Summary: The rules were simple. There were two imposters, 8 crew mates. The crewmates had a collective set of tasks to do, and as long as they stayed on track it would take them 7 days to complete them all. The imposters got special privileges like vent travel, however once an imposter killed someone, or whenever an emergency meeting was called they were required to wait at least 24 hours before they could kill again. If the crew finished the tasks, they won, if they voted out both imposters, they won. The only way for the two imposters to win was if they managed to kill the entire crew, whether that be by sabotage or by murder. If the game came down to the point where there were an equal number of Imposters and Crewmates, The remaining imposter(s) would be allowed to kill the remaining crewmate(s) and win by default.The winners would keep their lives. The losers, well,They wouldn’t.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), Toby Smith | tubbo & Captainsparklez
Comments: 25
Kudos: 301





	It Can't be the Captain

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Descriptions of dead bodies and murder
> 
> This is based off that one Among us stream where Captainsparklez murdered someone right in front of Tubbo and he still defended him.
> 
> (I did take creative liberties though since ending the game with O2 seems anticlimactic)

**Day 1, 17:03**

Tubbo had been optimistic at first. Despite the entire crew being thrown against their will into this awful situation, he knew they were a good crew. They could even have all the tasks done in 5 days if they tried. Yes, Tubbo was certainly optimistic. That is at least, until Karl reported Lizzies body. Blood still trickling out of the large gash in her throat. He stepped back behind the group as the crimson pool seeped closer, he felt sick.

"It had to have been Scott" Karl insisted as they all met in the cafeteria. "He was the only one unaccounted for" Scott shook his head.

"I was with the group!" He protested, the fear evident in his eyes "You have no proof! You can't just vote me off!" Tubbo shut his eyes, willing the conversation to fade into the background as he struggled to find some sort of happy place. He almost forgot about the situation until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Tubbo", a voice called to him through the mental fog, "Tubbo you need to vote now" reluctantly he opened his eyes, looking towards the voice. It was Captain Sparklez, named accordingly as the captain of the ship. (Sparklez had always seemed like a strange last name to tubbo, but he'd felt like it'd be rude to mention it)

"..who.. who do I vote for?" He feared the answer, but he feared the choice even more.

"Just vote for Scott" Sparklez told him gently, "we've all voted for him already" Tubbo nodded slowly, despite Scott's protests.

"...Okay." he reached forward hesitantly, trying his best to tune out Scott's desperate pleas for mercy. Tubbo looked again at the captain for guidance, who offered him a reassuring smile. He took a deep breath and pressed the button to vote for Scott, the hand on his shoulder keeping him steady.

Everyone watched with baited breath as Scott floated out across the void. Then a wave of relief washed over them as the ejection confirmation message appeared on the communicators they'd each been given.

'Scott was An impostor'  
'One impostor remains'

"I'm proud of you Tubbo" a warm smile graced the captains face as he affectionately ruffled the boy's hair "You made the right choice" Tubbo responded in turn with a hesitant smile of his own. Even if the question of the remaining impostor loomed threateningly in the background, this was a victory. And Tubbo had even crossed another suspect off the list.

After all, it couldn't be the captain, right?

**Day 3, 13:47**

The next few days passed in an uneasy peace. The crew went about their tasks by day, and made sure to stick close together by night. All except the captain, but he had his own room anyways, perks of being in charge and all that.

Tubbo found himself following the captain whenever he could. He worried he was bothering him, but Sparklez assured him it was fine. He was grateful for that, more than the captain would ever know. It was silly but he felt safe around Captain Sparklez. After all, the impostor wouldn't try and kill them both at once right? 

It was only on the third day, in electrical, that he realized his mistake.

Nothing had seemed off at first. He'd been looking for Jack and was pretty sure saw him walking into electrical a few minutes ago. Naturally he followed. Tubbo only realized something was wrong when he heard a heavy thud from behind the large block of computers. He quickly rounded the corner, a frigid feeling of dread nesting itself within his stomach. To his horror there stood the captain, casually wiping the blood off of a knife as he stood over Jack's dead body.

Logically Tubbo knew he should've run, called in the body, done anything really. But instead he froze. Standing petrification for what felt hours, frozen in place, as every detail of the scene burned itself into his brain. _'it can't be the captain'_ something whispered in the back of his mind. And he desperately wanted to believe that. He considered leaving, pretending he hadn't seen anything. It was at that moment however, that Sparklez finally saw him.

Tubbo watched, petrified, as a thousand different emotions flashed across the captain's face in an instant. Each somehow more terrifying and unreadable than the last. Until eventually his expression settled on that warm and familiar smile. "Tubbo" he called to him, pocketing the knife so it couldn't be seen. "Why don't you go ahead and call this one in?" He walked over to him and gestured to the communicator still clutched tightly in the boy's hand.

"What-?" Tubbo responded in a strangled whisper. _'It couldn't be the captain'_ the imaginary voice came again, and Captain Sparklez nodded.

"We can't let something like this go unchecked can we? Especially with an impostor on the loose" The boy could only stutter out a shaky agreement as slowly the pieces clicked into place in his head. Of course it wasn't the captain, he reasoned once more. They’d just walked in to electrical after all.

It could never be the Captain.

**Day 3, 14:09**

The meeting went as well as Tubbo as expected. Grim faces met once again in the cafeteria as he recounted how he and Sparklez had found the body.

"Well It can’t be the captain" he started, his voice wavering but his conviction the same "Me and him walked in to electrical to fix the wiring, and Jack's body was just on the floor" tears stung his eyes as the captain continued for him.

"Who was in electrical before we got there, or who could have used the vent to get out?" The crewmates all glanced at each other warily, a tense silence looming over them. It was suffocating, and Tubbo felt like he might scream just so he could hear something other than his own heartbeat thundering in his ears. Eventually though, Maddie broke the silence.

"I.. saw Katherine in storage, that’s next to electrical right?" She didn't voice any sort of accusation, probably afraid of the group turning on her instead, but the implication was there.

"Is that true?" FWhip asked, and everyone turned to face Katherine, who of course began to protest.

"Well- yeah but" she looked nervous "I only went in there to do the Scanner" Tubbo watched silently as she continued on to explain her path for the day. Maybe she was telling the truth, maybe she wasn't. But she wouldn’t survive the vote. She continued to defend herself in vain as the timer counted down.

34…  
33..  
32…

He wondered for a moment why he was crying. It couldn't have been the captain after all, and she was one of the few people alone.

16…  
15…  
14…

All he'd done was tell the truth, right? It couldn't be his fault. Why did he feel so guilty?

3…  
2…  
1…

**0**

His vision was too blurred with tears to see the confirmation message. It didn’t matter though, the horrified gasps of his crew mates told him all he needed to know. Tubbo stood rooted to the spot, silent sobs wracking his body as the shouting around him grew louder. The memory of Jack's dead body burned white-hot in his brain, but he shoved it away, Instead shutting his eyes tighter. Only one thought repeated itself in his brain, a warm, comforting thought that sent chills down his spine. _It couldn't be the Captain, It couldn’t be the Captain, It couldn’t be the Captain._

_It just couldn't be._

**Day 4, 22:37**

The next few days after that were… difficult, to say the least.

He had the captain with him though, so really it was fine. Under other circumstances, the crew may have suspected him for not doing his tasks, but Tubbo was young, and everyone had seen the way he'd broken down after the only other person even near his age had been found dead. Really it was no wonder why he was sticking so close to the captain. Only Karl seemed to be worried about him, asking him on the fourth night if everything was ok. He'd been about to respond, saying he was doing just fine, when the captain walked in.

There'd been a moment, only a moment, where Tubbo had been worried Karl would die. Obviously that was ridiculous, since he knew he himself wasn't the impostor, and it couldn't be the captain, but the fear still lingered in the back of his mind regardless until Maddie walked into med bay behind him. Thankfully Karl didn't seem to notice the boy's momentary reaction as the captain put an arm around Tubbo's shoulder. "You know, it's getting late tubbo" Sparklez said, "You should really head to bed" 

Tubbo mumbled a goodbye to Karl and Maddie, ignoring the hushed, angry whispers that seemed to follow him long after he'd walked out of earshot.

**Day 5, 02:58**

On the fifth day, the captain had told tubbo he should just move his cot into his room. "I don't think you should be trusting the other crew members" he'd said, a smug smile he tried to mask as kindness accompanying the 'suggestion'. "The impostor could be anyone after all. We'd be safer if we stuck together" Tubbo had only nodded silently in agreement. It didn't matter that if someone had wanted to murder in his sleep they would have done it already, or that him leaving would only leave one less witness to any potential crimes.

Captain Sparklez said it was a good idea, so it had to be. He'd be safe as long as he did what the captain said, he was in charge of the ship for a reason wasn't he? Of course he only had the crew's best interests at heart.

That was a captain's job, after all.

**Day 6, 01:25**

Tubbo sat silently in one of the hallways as the captain jumped into the vent next to him. He would've followed him, but apparently that was against the rules. (He'd stopped caring about the rules awhile back honestly. Tubbo knew he was safe, so what was the point?) Not to mention Sparklez had told him to keep watch. Despite whatever the rules may be, he was sure the captain only went in the vents for maintenance. That's what he'd said after all, and Tubbo knew he wouldn't lie to him.

He stared intently at the communicator sitting in his hand. There were so many buttons, and yet he'd only ever pressed one of them. Running his thumb gently over the report button he absentmindedly wondered what the other buttons were even for. He nearly pressed one too, that is, until Karl walked by.

"Tubbo..?" Hearing his name, he glanced up.

"Yeah?"

"...Where is he?" Tubbo tilted his head to the side in confusion. Where was who? It took him a Moment to realize Karl was probably looking for Sparklez.

"Ohhh" he looked down again, pressing one of the buttons. It didn't seem to do anything. "Captain said he's doing maintenance in the vents" he went to press another button until he felt a sharp tug on his wrist.

"Tubbo we have to get out of here-" the boy in question looked up at Karl once again, the combined confusion and exhaustion clearly written across his face as the communicator in his hand clattered to the floor.

"Why?"

"There's no such thing as Maintenance in the vents Tubbo" he spoke in a panicked tone as he abruptly pulled the boy to his feet. "We have to call an emergency meeting before-" Tubbo was about to protest, to bring up how there wasn't any need to wake everyone in the middle of the night when the captain had it under control, but something else cut Karl off instead.

Or more accurately, something cut his head off.

The boy blinked as he watched Karl's head roll lazily across the floor. Something told him Karl wouldn't be waking anyone up now. Slowly his gaze shifted upward to the captain, who was laughing quietly. Tubbo reached for the communicator he’d dropped when Karl had grabbed his wrist, but the captain stopped him. “No need for that Tubbo” he said as he ruffled one of his bloodstained hands through Tubbo's hair. He would have to wash that out later, he noted. “Karl just needs some rest”

“Oh… okay.” His hand dropped back to his side, and the captain gave him a nod of approval. Despite the puddle of blood now oozing over his shoe, Tubbo couldn’t bring himself to be scared. There wasn’t a point in being scared really, he knew it wasn’t the captain, and they were both protected by the cool down since someone had died just recently.

Tubbo looked down once more at the freshly dismembered head on the floor, seemingly at rest in its place on the floor. He couldn’t see the face, but he doubted his expression was that different than Jack’s had been. It was unfortunate Karl died, but it was his own fault really he mused to himself as the captain led him towards the showers (So he could wash the blood out of his hair).

Karl should’ve just stayed with the captain.

**Day 6, 09:56**

Somehow, Tubbo isn't surprised when FWhip calls in a dead body the next morning, or when the body sits in the middle of the hallway, the head sitting alone in a long dry puddle of blood. He thinks that maybe he just has a 6th sense for this sort of thing, though of course he doesn't tell anyone this.

Ten minutes later they're all gathered around the cafeteria table. The familiar shouts of the angry and confused wash over him as he buried his head in his arms. He doesn't cry this time, he isn't sure he even voted. Maybe the captain voted for him. His eyes fall shut, and he loses himself in the absurdity of it all. Stranded on their own ship against their will, forced to play some sick game as their friends back home were left to wonder why a two day supply run was taking nearly a week. 

He pauses that, _'friends back home'_ , did he even have any? A shock of blonde hair and a rambunctious pair of blue eyes briefly come to mind, and yet they mean nothing to him. Tubbo finally tunes back into the world around him, and immediately wishes he hadn't. The screams of the newly sacrificed tell him FWhip was voted off.

Tubbo doesn't need to check the confirmation message. He already knows what it says.

**Day 6, 21:42**

After the debacle with the meeting, the captain suggested they should all stay together, now that it was just the four of them. After all, groups of two could be dangerous with so few people aboard. Maddie and Oli agreed wholeheartedly, and yet somehow Tubbo doubted it would help anything. Miraculously, even with the heavy casualties they'd taken, they were still set to finish their tasks on day 7 (It was enough to make Tubbo wonder if maybe this many people were supposed to die all along). 

If the four (three if you didn't count the impostor) of them worked together, they should be able to finish everything tomorrow. Emphasis on the _should_ , for some reason Tubbo knew he didn't want to remember, he didn't think they were going to make it.

Sparkles took Karl’s bed, and Tubbo took Jack’s. He wasn’t sure whether he took it because it was near everyone else or because he missed his old friend, but he was next to the captain so that had to be worth something. Oli and Maddie fell asleep first, clearly frightened, but harboring a hesitant optimism all the same. After all, there were only a few more tasks to be done and then they’d win this god forsaken game. The impostor surely couldn’t kill two people by the end of tomorrow, not without getting caught… right? 

It was the captain who fell asleep next, a smug smile on his face as he whispered to the boy lying across from him. “It’s going to be a big day tomorrow Tubbo, just you wait.” For what may have been the thousandth time he nodded, it was really all he could do at this point. He rolled over to face the wall, knowing he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

**Day 7, 07:29**

The night had come and gone between restless fits of tossing and turning. It turned out Tubbo had been wrong about not being able to sleep, he distinctly remembered having nightmares. He knew he had been the first one awake by far, but Tubbo waited for one of his crewmates to wake him up. As he sat up he looked towards Karl’s empty bed, though really he supposed, it was the captain’s bed now.

The captain in question walked out of the adjacent bathroom, presumably having just finished washing up for the day ahead. He was grinning, and had a noticeably uncharacteristic pep in his step as he addressed what little crew remained. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us” he started, somehow Tubbo already knew he was lying. “But if we all work hard and stick together, we can get it done by the end of the day!”

Next to him Oli and Maddie cheered, maybe he should’ve cheered as well, but Tubbo was tired. Wearily he held the captain’s gaze, the meeting yesterday had ended at 10:31, that was only 3 hours away. 3 hours, and 2 minutes until the impostor could kill again. He watched the captain's grin grow ever wider as the minutes ticked by.

07:56

Oli couldn't figure out how to swipe his card properly, Tubbo had to do it for him.

08:13

Maddie asked if they could take a break for breakfast. The captain thought that was a great idea.

08:58

Last task in electrical, it was the wires Jack could never finish.

09:37

Tubbo wondered aloud if he'd go to heaven if he died. Maddie looked like she wanted to respond, but in the end no one answered.

10:21

They were getting closer now, he could feel it. There were only three tasks left, but he knew they wouldn't make it. He stepped closer to the captain, he wasn’t scared now, not anymore he told himself.

Tubbo just wanted someone to hold his hand.

10:29 

This was it, Tubbo told himself as the hand around his tightened. He didn't miss the malicious glint in the captain's eye as they followed Maddie and Oli towards Admin. There were only two tasks left, but he knew it was too late. He reached for his communicator, but he came up empty. Memories of oozing scarlett danced across his vision, and he wondered what had happened to his communicator. 

It would be fine though, he knew the captain had one of his own.

10:30:19

He could hear his heartbeat now, thumping loudly in time with each passing moment.

16…  
15…  
14… 

He saw the knife out of the corner of his eye.

9…  
8…  
7… 

Maddie saw the knife too.

3…  
2…  
1… 

She was dead before she hit the floor.

**Day 7, ??:??**

Tubbo stared numbly at the ground as Oli's screams filled the cafeteria. Shouts of "he's guilty!" and "Tubbo please!" Filling his ears as all the while the captain kept a blood stained hand on Tubbo's shoulder.

"I understand where you're coming from Oli" the captain started, no longer bothering to resist the sadistic, maniacal grin he'd been hiding since the first day of this god forsaken game. "But Tubbo and I both have alibis"

Tubbo shuddered as said 'alibi' tried to claw its way from the back of his mind. As soon as the clock had hit 10:31, all hell had broken loose. Maddie barely had time to scream before the knife had found its way into the side of her head. Oli, as expected, had reported the body immediately. Of course he had really, from his point of view, the impostor was outnumbered 2 to 1.

"Yeah… that's right, me and the captain were together the entire time"

Tubbo wiped at the blood on the sleeve of his space suit as he spoke, trying to distance his mind from the confusing reality around him as he wondered if blood would be easier to clean off of his suit than it has been to clean out of hair. Of course he didn't know who the impostor was, but he wished they could be more careful with their kills, he was pretty sure this was the third time he'd gotten blood on him this week.. He made a note to ask the captain if he could do something about it once the meeting ended. After all he was in charge of the ship, that should be worth something.

It was only when the aforementioned captain called his name, that Tubbo was forced to crash-land into the real world. He stumbled, tripping on nothing but his own thoughts as Oli's screams continued to ring in his ear. (At this point, he even missed hearing his own heartbeat)

He let the captain's hand guide his own to the voting module. It didn't matter who he was voting for now, but he supposed the formality was nice. At Sparklez gentle prodding, Tubbo hit the button he could barely see. Was he crying again? No, he couldn't be, he must just be tired. 

The screams of the damned fell on deaf ears as finally he felt the captain pulling him in for a hug. He ignored the shouts of 'traitor!' and 'monster!' As let himself once more slip into a state of blissful ignorance. 

"I'm proud of you Tubbo" came the captain's voice, cutting its way seamlessly through the fog surrounding his mind "You made the right choice"

Tubbo could feel the crimson flower of pain blooming in his stomach as the captain's embrace tightened. Something warm and red dripped onto the floor as he clung to the captain's arm for support. He could feel his strength fading, but that was fine. He wondered if this was what it had felt like for Jack. He nearly mustered a laugh on the way down at the thought, but instead had to settle on a weak smile, as his now world weary body lay crumpled on the ground. 

That was fine though, he was safe now. Even as his vision started to fade, he couldn't bring himself to stop smiling. He was finally safe, after everything, safe at long last he told himself, as the blood seeped closer to his cheek. He shut his eyes.

After all, The game would have ended if there was only one impostor and one crewmate.

_And it couldn't be the captain._

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be funny idk man.
> 
> Criticism is appreciated!
> 
> Edit: ahAh- this is so edgy why is this my most popular MCYT fic


End file.
